diff --git a/api/queries_issue.go b/api/queries_issue.go
index 7ba12f6ad..50fcbd434 100644
--- a/api/queries_issue.go
+++ b/api/queries_issue.go
@@ -236,13 +236,15 @@ func IssueList(client *Client, ghRepo Repo, state string, labels []string, assig
 func IssueByNumber(client *Client, ghRepo Repo, number int) (*Issue, error) {
 	type response struct {
 		Repository struct {
-			Issue Issue
+			Issue            Issue
+			HasIssuesEnabled bool
 		}
 	}
 
 	query := `
 	query($owner: String!, $repo: String!, $issue_number: Int!) {
 		repository(owner: $owner, name: $repo) {
+			hasIssuesEnabled
 			issue(number: $issue_number) {
 				title
 				body
@@ -275,5 +277,9 @@ func IssueByNumber(client *Client, ghRepo Repo, number int) (*Issue, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if !resp.Repository.HasIssuesEnabled {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the '%s/%s' repository has disabled issues", ghRepo.RepoOwner(), ghRepo.RepoName())
+	}
+
 	return &resp.Repository.Issue, nil
 }
diff --git a/command/issue_test.go b/command/issue_test.go
index e9f616f68..9cf4156b4 100644
--- a/command/issue_test.go
+++ b/command/issue_test.go
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func TestIssueView(t *testing.T) {
 	http := initFakeHTTP()
 
 	http.StubResponse(200, bytes.NewBufferString(`
-	{ "data": { "repository": { "issue": {
+	{ "data": { "repository": { "hasIssuesEnabled": true, "issue": {
 		"number": 123,
 		"url": "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/issues/123"
 	} } } }
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func TestIssueView_preview(t *testing.T) {
 	http := initFakeHTTP()
 
 	http.StubResponse(200, bytes.NewBufferString(`
-	{ "data": { "repository": { "issue": {
+		{ "data": { "repository": { "hasIssuesEnabled": true, "issue": {
 		"number": 123,
 		"body": "**bold story**",
 		"title": "ix of coins",
@@ -303,12 +303,29 @@ func TestIssueView_notFound(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestIssueView_disabledIssues(t *testing.T) {
+	initBlankContext("OWNER/REPO", "master")
+	http := initFakeHTTP()
+
+	http.StubResponse(200, bytes.NewBufferString(`
+		{ "data": { "repository": {
+			"id": "REPOID",
+			"hasIssuesEnabled": false
+		} } }
+	`))
+
+	_, err := RunCommand(issueViewCmd, `issue view 6666`)
+	if err == nil || err.Error() != "the 'OWNER/REPO' repository has disabled issues" {
+		t.Errorf("error running command `issue view`: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestIssueView_urlArg(t *testing.T) {
 	initBlankContext("OWNER/REPO", "master")
 	http := initFakeHTTP()
 
 	http.StubResponse(200, bytes.NewBufferString(`
-	{ "data": { "repository": { "issue": {
+	{ "data": { "repository": { "hasIssuesEnabled": true, "issue": {
 		"number": 123,
 		"url": "https://github.com/OWNER/REPO/issues/123"
 	} } } }